No Fairytale Lasts Forever
by Mjade-1
Summary: Yule Ball. This couldn’t be the Mudblood he had hated for all those years. This was not, in any shape or form, Hermione Granger. Despite all his doubts and denial, the fact that “Granger was beautiful” still persistently nagged at the back of his mind.


**Title: No Fairytale Lasts Forever**

**Author: Mjade**

**Rating: PG/Romance**

**Disclaimer: Although I'd love to lay claim on Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini, I can't. All Harry Potter-related characters and places belong to J.K. Rowling.**

**Warning: A tad fluffy, but nothing too bad.**

**Summary: Takes place during the Yule Ball event in The Triwizard Tournament. _He somehow expected that if he finally realized that the girl he was so completely entranced by was in fact Hermione Granger, he'd finally get a hold of himself. As fate would have it, Draco didn't see that happening anytime soon._**

**Author's note: Not my usual style of writing and probably may be long overdue, but this is my take on the Yule Ball incident after Ron and Harry left Hermione crying on the stairs. I always thought there was a missing scene there so this was the first thing that came to my mind after watching the _Goblet Of Fire. _Believe it or not, this story actually came from a dialogue my friend and I constructed in the span of a few minutes at 1 in the morning, on a whim, no previous outline or planned in anyway. Which is why it probably may not be the best piece I have written but it was fun to do. Please read and comment, and I hope you like it!**

**Dedication: My thanks and deepest gratitude goes to my amazing beta, hikaranko, who fearlessly put up with me and helped me finish this story!**

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Draco never considered Hermione Granger _beautiful_. In his world, he knew full well that the words "Granger" and "beautiful" didn't belong in the same sentence. They just simply didn't. However, the moment the Great Hall doors swung open and the Yule Ball commenced, those two words combined into one phrase that reverberated in his head like a relentless mantra, making known to him that his world had certainly turned upside down. 

For right there in front of him was Granger, only it wasn't her.

The person before him couldn't possibly be the Hermione Granger he knew and hated. She walked through those grand doors into the magnificently decorated hall, in an exquisite gown of periwinkle blue, with a sense of regality and elegance that he never thought she possessed. Gone was the girl who was usually weighed down by a bag filled with dozens of books slung over her shoulder. Instead, there stood a lady who carried herself far differently with an air of newfound confidence. Her hand rested atop the arm of her Bulgarian date, a radiant smile on her face. She was utterly stunning.

Potter had seemed shocked yet pleased with her appearance. Parvati Patil had gazed at her in unflattering disbelief and her sister, Padma, had stared at her incredulously. Pansy Parkinson looked more and more like a fish as she gaped at her, Krum's fan club shot her glares of deepest loathing, and more than half of the male population at Hogwarts had dropped their jaws at the sight of her. Weasley, on the other hand, didn't even recognize her. And she, completely oblivious to their utter and downright surprise, positively glowed yet still slightly nervous of their scrutiny.

But Draco just stood there, his face showing no signs of any expression whatsoever. Yet, that did not reflect what he felt on the inside.

This couldn't be the Mudblood he had hated for all those years. This was not, in any shape or form, Hermione Granger. Despite all his doubts and denial, the fact that "Granger was beautiful" still persistently nagged at the back of his mind.

Pansy had left the Yule Ball early, from becoming increasingly frustrated with Draco's lack of attention towards her. She had asked him numerous times to dance, but he either just looked at her blankly or graced her with a reply of "huh?". He seemed vaguely aware that she was sitting right next to him or possibly didn't register that she even existed. As far as Draco was concerned, the fact that he had asked Pansy Parkinson to be his date for the Yule Ball never happened. His mind appeared to be focused solely on only one thing; the radiant girl in lovely blue robes that supposedly was _not_ his nemesis' best friend.

Draco just spent most of his time at the ball watching, completely captivated by the sight of the gorgeous girl dancing with the big-shot Quidditch player. He caught every ripple of her gown as she moved, sensed her confidence as she elegantly executed each step of the waltz, and saw how her face broke into a dazzling smile as Krum lifted her into the air. Draco never knew you could feel so enchanted and so spellbound just by looking at someone.

Eventually, Professor Flitwick had clambered onto the stage to announce that the Weird Sisters had arrived. And as the band played, the music blaring, the girl in blue robes was lost in the crowd and out of Draco's view.

Draco blinked, finally returning back to his old self. Where had his mind been all this time? How could something that was supposed to be entirely trivial consume his thoughts? He had not, he couldn't have been…oh dear Merlin…

_Was I just ogling Hermione Granger?_

* * *

It seemed to be nearing the end of the Yule Ball. Most of the students had gone back to their houses (or started their own balls in empty classrooms and broom closets); only the professors and some young couples still remained dancing. As for Draco, he lazily rested his chin on his hand, apparently very bored. 

However, he was still quite unnerved by his reaction to Granger. What the bloody hell had come over him? He had acted like— like some lovesick puppy, and Draco Malfoy was anything but that. Fortunately for him, the magic and fairytale absurdity didn't last, and Draco was quite grateful for that fact.

Draco spotted his fellow Slytherins, Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini, who had some Ravenclaw fifth year with her arms wrapped about his neck, exiting the dance floor and walking towards him.

Since Zabini and the Ravenclaw were still pretty much engaged with each other, Nott spoke first.

"Ready to go mate?" Nott asked. "Zabini here is a bit sloshed— let's just say somebody managed to smuggle some Ogden's Old Firewhiskey in. Shall we head back to the common room?"

Draco, who found no real purpose in staying, was about to answer when—

"He's using you," a familiar voice broke into his daze.

"How dare you!" another, even more familiar voice, said indignantly.

Draco turned towards the voices and that's when he saw them. Weasley, wearing a rather awful vest over his equally awful shirt, and Granger, still in her elegant blue gown, were both red in the face.

Draco ceased all movement and held his breath. For some reason, seeing Granger like this, cheeks flushed red and a determined look in her eyes, didn't help him in the least.

_I could definitely use some of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey right now._

He somehow expected that if he finally realized that the girl he was so completely entranced by was in fact Hermione Granger, he'd finally get a hold of himself. As fate would have it, Draco didn't see that happening anytime soon.

"Besides, I can take care of myself!" Granger said determinedly, lifting her chin.

Although he hated to admit it, even only to himself, Draco had no doubts whatsoever that she could in fact take care of herself. No one knew better than he that she knew more hexes and curses to last her a lifetime. A pity her redheaded friend didn't seem to agree.

"I doubt it," Weasley muttered, glaring at her. "He's way too old!"

"What!" Granger shrieked, sounding appalled. "What! That's what you think!"

"Yeah, that's what I think!" Weasley retorted, turning around to face her.

_So that's what this is about?_ Draco thought. _Did Weasley finally get some sense knocked into him enough to figure out that Granger is indeed a girl? Is Weasley jealous that she showed up here with Krum instead of him?_

Draco saw them reach the entrance doors. There were still some students loitering around outside. A few couples were still dancing slowly to non-existent music, one couple had their arms around each other's waist walking towards the other doors, two males and two females where lined up against the wall chatting, but they all stopped what they were doing as Weasley and Granger stepped out into the middle of it all, both of them seeming rather oblivious to their surroundings.

"You know the solution _then_, don't you?" She said angrily, taking long strides to catch up with the red-head.

"Go on," Weasley said, but he was walking away quickly, clearly wanting to get away from her.

Granger stopped in front of Weasley, swinging around wildly to face him and halting his escape plan. But that's when Draco noticed there was something other than rage in her eyes.

Draco looked at Granger…_no, she can't be_…

Weasley had an identical look on his face when he looked back up at the girl in front of him.

"Next _time_ there's a ball, pluck up the courage and ask _me_ before _somebody_ _else_ does, and not as a _last resort_!" She finally screamed at him, tears brimming in her eyes.

Everyone around them stared.

Both the redhead and Draco were completely taken aback. Sure, they had both seen her upset before, Draco himself mostly the main cause, but Hermione had always stood her ground, careful not to shed a single tear. Neither really expected this of her, but there she was, yelling at Weasley hysterically, tears falling freely from her eyes.

"Well, th—that," Weasley stammered. He was clearly not used to seeing her in this state. He suddenly felt guilty, but his stubbornness didn't dare let him give her that satisfaction. "Th-that's out—that's just completely off the point." He looked over her shoulder and sighed in relief. "Harry!"

Potter had just re-entered the hall from his walk in the courtyard and appeared right behind her. Draco noticed he had a rather pensive look on his face.

Granger spun around setting her anger on him instead "Where have you been?"

Potter was caught off guard, the pensive look that had previously been on his face vanished instantly and turned into one of bewilderment. He started gesturing behind him, but before he could even begin to explain, Granger cut him off.

"Never mind! Off to bed, both of you!"

Potter, still quite confused, heeded her order without question, fearing her wrath, and both him and Weasley started up the stairs.

Weasley leaned over to his friend and muttered, "They get scary when they get older."

Unfortunately for both of them, Granger had heard.

"Ron, you spoiled _everything_!" Granger shouted at him, running up to them but a small sound like something cracked stopped her in her pursuit. She looked down and realized that the heel of her shoe had snapped. Exhausted, she collapsed onto the stairs, broke down and cried.

Everyone that had witnessed the rather hostile exchange between Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger seemed to leave immediately, but Draco could not move.

_What the hell had just happened?_

Sure, they had fought several times on occasion, Draco playing witness to some of them, but it was never like this. Ron acted as predicted, it was Hermione's reaction that irked Draco. He didn't know exactly what he was supposed to feel or why he should even feel something in the first place. He watched her collapse, he watched her throw off her ruined shoe, and he watched her cry, her hair falling across her face. But what really surprised him, was how he found that image of her completely _breathtaking_.

"Malfoy? You okay mate?"

Draco slapped himself mentally and tore his eyes away from Hermione's form to look at Nott. "Why don't you guys go on without me. I'll catch up."

The Slytherin shrugged. "If you say so."

Nott started to leave, grabbing Zabini's arm and trying to detach his mouth from his Ravenclaw date, as they made their way to the Slytherin dungeons.

Draco let out an exasperated sigh and raised his fingers to massage his temples. He desperately needed to clear his head. He had way too many thoughts swirling around in his mind that ought to not have been there anyway. He grabbed the glass of punch in front of him and quickly downed it. Although he was still feeling slightly light-headed, he finally stood up from his chair and made his way to the Great Hall doors.

Upon exiting, Draco found the place completely deserted. No students, no professors, not even Filch and his mangy cat, Mrs. Norris, patrolling the corridors. However, of all the rotten luck, one lone figure remained sitting on the stairs, one figure that inevitably belonged to none other than Hermione Granger.

Draco scowled inwardly. Just exactly what was he supposed to do now? He realized his mistake too late. He should have gone with Nott and Zabini towards the Slytherin common room when he had the chance, in order to avoid the awkwardness of passing her distressed form by himself.

He decided to just suck it up, ignore her, and just walk past her. How hard could it be? He'd done it several times with various other people…just not her. Relying on his determination, he decided to do just that. But as he took one more step away from the Great Hall, his resolve fell away, and he couldn't help himself. Still in her beautiful gown, loose tendrils and curls framing her face, Hermione Granger looked positively mesmerizing.

What the bloody hell was it about this girl that compelled him to go to her? Because it was at that moment he realized, to his utter horror, that his legs seemed to be working of their own accord. His head was screaming at him to stop and he was reminding himself over and over again how he shouldn't care about her or the current state she was in. But no matter how hard he tried, it didn't seem like his cerebellum wanted to agree with the rest of his brain.

This was ridiculous, why should he be afraid of coming within reach of her? He walked resolutely towards her to…to do what, exactly? He had no clue. He approached her cautiously, wondering whether or not she'd notice him and hex him into the next decade. However, she didn't move a muscle. Her eyes were downcast, as if she was intently studying the floor. All Draco could hear was her steady breathing, far calmer than it had been when she was crying.

Suddenly the silence and the fact that she was not reacting to anything at all started to get on Draco's nerves. This was Hermione Granger, for crying out loud. If there was one person who couldn't keep quiet, it was her. Always attentive, always involved, and always wanting to have the last word. The Yule Ball couldn't have stripped that much from her. He found her silence quite uncanny, and he was starting to grow uncomfortable. He decided this was it. He had to break the silence.

"What's wrong, Granger?" He said, sneering at her. "Did Krum finally see the error of his ways and dump you for a Beauxbaton girl? Or did Potter and Weasley get all jealous that the Quidditch star seeker chose you over them? I mean, that was _quite_ a scene you three caused."

Hermione didn't even flinch.

"Malfoy, I am really not in the mood right now," she replied quietly, not bothering to look up at him.

He stared at her.

_What the hell just happened there?_

Just awhile ago he was trying his best to completely and totally ignore her and even found out he couldn't and there Hermione was, successfully ignoring him without even having to try.

How dare she brush him off?

Who did she think she was? If there were going to be any brushing off, he'd be the one doing it.

Draco Malfoy glared at her. He was going to get a reaction out of her, dammit, whether she liked it or not.

"Oh come now, Granger," He jeered. He sat down on the steps beside her, deciding he'd taunt her. "Where's the fun in that? I haven't called you Mudblood all night, the least you could do is humor me."

Hermione finally lifted her head to look at him, her eyes glinting with annoyance and irritation.

"You really don't get it, _do you_, Malfoy?" She spat at him. "I am not here for amusement, and I'm certainly not here for _you_! For once in your sad and pathetic life, can you get it through your thick skull that I want to be left the_ hell _alone!"

Draco did a double take. The ferocity in her voice almost made him take a step back. Aside from being fairly shocked by her immediate anger, did Granger—proper, polite, goody-two-shoes Granger—just swear?

"You know all I wanted was to be seen as someone special for _one_ night!" she cried at him. "Someone who mattered just for _one_ moment. To be seen as someone other than the bookish, bossy, know-it-all that everyone seems to categorize me as!"

This was so absurd that Draco almost laughed out loud, but he knew that that action would surely leave him severely injured. He had always thought that all she cared about was maintaining good grades and excelling in academics. Who would have known that Granger with her bookish demeanor actually cared about something that he thought she had always considered as utter nonsense? He never thought that being branded as the know-it-all she is would bother her so much.

"You know, I can't even begin to describe what coming down those steps and walking into the Great Hall was like," she continued, her eyes almost taking a wistful expression. "It felt like a dream. It was like Cinderella. It was like living in my own fairytale. Silly I know, but at that moment I didn't care what anybody else thought. I never felt more happy than I did walking through those doors."

Draco raised an eyebrow. Exactly, why was she telling him all this? And who the hell is Cinderella? He also wondered if she was even vaguely aware that he was still actually there listening to her ramble on. Did she realize that she sounded like some love struck silly little girl?

"I guess that deep down I've always wondered what it felt like to know that I could make so many heads turn, to have people looking at me in admiration, catching someone's attention without having to utter a single word. To feel good and satisfied about myself. No longer insecure, no longer having to keep up this façade of a cold exterior, having to hide behind my books, my intellect, my…"

_What the hell was this stupid bint on about?_

Draco didn't know what to say, not that he could get a word in with her ranting on like that. Nor did he want to hear about her problems…damn, he really should have just walked past her without a second thought. What was he thinking going over to her? Clearly, she's completely lost it.

Hermione trailed off.

Draco looked at her; still slightly unnerved by the way she was acting. She seemed sort of dazed and he was starting to feel a bit apprehensive.

"Okay, Granger, I think you might have had a little too much—"

He stopped abruptly. If Draco had thought Hermione was angry with Ron before, that could not even describe the look on her face now.

Hermione's brows knitted together and her eyes flashed with rage. She looked rather scary and it took all of Draco's willpower not to back away.

"I mean, is it _too much_ to _ask_!" She spat viciously. She started shaking uncontrollably. "One night! Just _one_ night, for everything to be perfect! I must have been such an _idiot_ to think that this fairytale would _last_!"

She started flailing her arms wildly and her eyes were once again shedding uncontrollable tears. The way she was crying with complete abandon gave Draco the impression that she had been holding it in for a really long time. How long exactly, he couldn't tell. He really didn't know what to do.

It was not as if he could reassure her or comfort her. Not only was he not used to it but this was Granger. If this world still made sense, him, the pureblood, would never stoop so low as to offer his condolences to a Mudblood. If this world still made _any_ sense, Hermione wouldn't have shown that something like this extremely bothered her. Especially in front of him. She had always stood her ground, always appearing so strong on the outside. However, it was the second time tonight that this girl had flipped Draco's world the wrong side up.

"BUT DID THEY HAVE TO _RUIN_ IT FOR ME!" She cried hysterically, tears streaming down her face. "TO SPOIL THE _ONE _NIGHT I STOOD A CHANCE TO SHOW EVERYONE HOW WRONG THEY WERE ABOUT ME! WHAT WAS I _THINKING_? I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN MY DREAMS AND THE HARSH REALITY! I ALWAYS WAS THE SENSIBLE ONE, THE LOGICAL ONE, AND FOR ONCE I FELT INCREDIBLY TIRED OF IT!"

Hermione began to tremble. She basically started screaming out all her frustration and anger, not caring who heard her, not caring who saw her, not caring that her worst enemy was the one that was listening and watching her lose complete control of herself.

"BUT I WAS SO _STUPID_ TO THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE _ONE _BOY FELT THAT I WAS SOMEONE WORTH ASKING TO THE BALL, IT ALSO MEANT THAT _TWO _OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLEIN MY LIFE WOULD SEE IT THE SAME WAY! IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT I EVEN CONSIDERED THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE! I WOULD NEVER BE SEEN AS ANYTHING ELSE IN THEIR EYES! I WAS JUST A LAST RESORT TO THEM, NOTHING MORE! JUST SOME BACK UP PLAN, IN CASE EVERY OTHER FEMALE IN THE CASTLE WAS TAKEN!"

And once again, for the second time that night as well, Draco had played witness to her break down. However, he felt something else he was not accustomed to feeling: He was completely and utterly stunned speechless.

She clutched her legs closer to her chest and buried her face in her knees not caring if she stained her gown. Her shoulders were shaking violently as well, and to Draco, he had never seen a more depressing image. Of course, there were times he had done that too, frequently in fact, during his childhood. But it wasn't the same.

Apparently, Hermione had expected this night to be special. Some fairytale dream come true, as she had said. Draco never really believed in fairytales. To him, they were just stories to enchant the young and naïve. But obviously, they meant something to her…something much more. It was then, for some reason unknown to him, he had a sudden urge to hex both Weasley and Potter into oblivion.

Draco took a deep breath. "Granger, I—I don't know what to say…"

Suddenly, Hermione's head shot up, her eyes shooting glares at him. It seemed to Draco that it didn't take long for her to switch gears once again. Clearly, her anger had recharged and was now directed at him.

"Is there really anything to _say_, Malfoy?" She practically snarled at him. "In fact, I don't give a _damn_ on _anything_ you have to say! As if my night has not been ruined enough by those two, _you_ have to join in!"

Draco stared at her, taken aback by her sudden change in disposition. Here he was, being remotely civil to her for some bizarre reason, and she still had the audacity and gall to yell at him.

"Now, hang on one minute! I—"

However, Hermione didn't let another word in.

"Does anything _ever_ surprise you or catch you off guard?" She demanded heatedly. "Do you feel any remorse whatsoever on _anything _you ever do? Why do you have to sit there and enjoy my _misery_? Does this give you some _sick_ sort of _pleasure_? Why can't you just leave me _be_!"

_What the hell is she talking about?_ Draco thought angrily.

When did everything suddenly become his fault? Why the hell should he feel any remorse, he had nothing to do with it! And he wasn't banking on her rambling on and on about her miserable existence, either. He wasn't involved in any way in her so-called "magical night", nor was he involved in destroying it. Was she just blaming him for no apparent reason?

Draco glared at her indignantly. "Look, Granger, I don't care about you or any of your stupid female emotional problems! Nor do I intend to ever join in with Potter and Weasley to wreck your _sad_ little life! Nor do I want to hear all your pent up woes and sorrows! If you don't give a damn about anything I have to say what the _bloody hell _makes you think I give a damn about _you_?"

Hermione wasn't the slightest bit fazed.

"Well, that's just it Malfoy! You don't care! YOU DON'T _BLOODY_ CARE!" She screamed loudly, not caring if she woke up the whole castle. "The world may stop spinning, the sun may stop burning, but you would go on with life because you don't give a _damn _about one bloody thing! Nothing rattles you, nothing baffles you, YOU DON'T _CRACK_!" Her piercing voice reverberated around cold stone walls bordering the hall.

"You stand there in your calm and cool composure, thinking that no one can see through you! Tell me, does anything faze you, does anything mystify you, does anything at all make you lose _control_? Like I just did right here! It was me! I was the one who lost it! Completely and utterly LOST IT! Because I care too much! Just too _bloody_ much!" She yelled at him. Draco could only stare at her.

"I don't even know why this _mattered_ so much to me. Why was I so intent on looking beautiful, feeling happy, only to have them _destroy _tonight for _me_? I should have said no when Viktor asked me! It would have made things so much _easier_ because that's what most people expected to happen! Am I right? I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I walked through those doors and whispering to each other saying 'And here I thought she was crying all alone in her room!', 'How the _hell_ did Hermione Granger get a date to the ball?', 'Did she threaten to hex Krum if he said no?'. And you stood there, just like the rest of them, unfeeling and uncaring. No emotion of awe, never stunned, never amazed, and never---"

Draco had reached the brink of his temper.

His eyes flashed with anger and he lashed out, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her roughly.

"WILL YOU SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO YOURSELF FOR ONE MOMENT!" He shouted angrily at her, cutting her off. "You stupid girl! Do you know how _unbelievably _wrong you are about _everything_! Everyone saw you, everyone looked at you, and no one could take their eyes off _you_! You call me unfeeling, uncaring, and you are so used to being right all the time, aren't you, Granger? Well, you've never been more wrong than you have been tonight!'

Hermione appeared to be in total shock, but Draco didn't stop there.

"I have never been so in awe until you came around that pillar, I have never been so stunned until I saw you walk down those steps, and I have never been so amazed until you strode into the Great Hall looking like the most beautiful thing I have _ever_ seen! And if you want to know whether anything rattles or baffles me, if you want to know if anything fazes me, shocks me, makes me lose control... dammit Granger, if it weren't for tonight, I wouldn't have a single clue how to answer that!"

Hermione's eyes were wide, staring at him speechless, looking as if she had been petrified. Draco, after recovering, seemed to be in a much more worse state than her. He had an extremely horrified expression on his face, staring right back at her dumbly, as if he couldn't believe what he had just said.

Which, as a matter of fact, he couldn't.

Draco realized his hands were still gripping her shoulders tightly, and he finally managed to release her.

An awkward silence passed.

Draco swallowed and cleared his throat. "Well yes, you wanted me to crack, didn't you?" he said, desperately trying to keep his voice even. "You wanted me to lose my calm and cool composure, right? Well, I guess, as always Granger, you seem to get what you want."

Hermione lowered her gaze, slightly embarrassed.

"Malfoy, I…I'm sorry—"

Draco waved the apology away. He didn't really want to hear her trying to fix everything that had transpired tonight. Always logical, always sensible, and he didn't want her to feel like she had to be like that tonight, either.

"Save it, Granger," he responded curtly, standing up. "The only apologies we need to hear tonight is from those two idiots, Weasley and Potter. They had no right—no right to wreck your night."

He turned and started walking away, after contemplating whether or not he should give in to his urge of banging his head repeatedly onto the nearby pillar.

He finally did walk past her even though it wasn't as he had planned. He still found it hard to accept the fact that he had said all those things out loud. The same words he didn't even dare to think. Providing that Hermione didn't say anything, his reputation will still be intact. But the damage was done, but at least it made her shut up.

His mind was set on getting to the Slytherin dungeons as quickly as possible. He thought he was home free when he reached the top step, however…

"Malfoy, hang on!"

Hermione's voice caused Draco to stop on the stairs and turn around. He sighed exasperatedly.

"Merlin, Granger, don't you think we've already exhausted this matter enough? If you are still unhappy about everything—"

Hermione reached him on the stairs and out of all the things Draco thought she was going to do, this was the last thing he ever expected.

She placed a hand on the right side of his face, leaned in, and pressed her lips gently to his cheek.

It was an innocent thing really, a kiss on the cheek usually meant nothing more than a "hello" or a "goodbye". So why the hell was he gazing at her as if she grew another head?

He'd been kissed plenty times before, of course, most times rather passionately on the mouth. But, as cliché as it sounds, no kiss had ever affected him the same way her kiss had.

She withdrew and grinned at him. "Exhausted, yes. Unhappy? Not anymore," she told him lightheartedly, as if she had never been crying or yelling at him just a few moments ago. "This may not be the night I had in mind and even though, no fairytale lasts forever, and this certainly won't since we may go back insulting each other the next morning, the night didn't end all too badly, wouldn't you agree?"

She smiled in goodbye, and headed up the rest of the stairs towards the Gryffindor tower, leaving a bewildered Draco staring after her.

Perhaps she was right. No fairytale ever did last forever and she and Draco would probably go back hating each other as they always did. But one thing was absolutely certain.

Yes, it was official.

That girl had definitely turned Draco Malfoy's world upside down for good.

- FIN -

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**  
A/n: Well, there you have it! And yes, I used the scene from the _Goblet of Fire_ movie and Hermione's dress robes from the _Goblet of Fire _book. Forgive me if you found Draco a bit out of character but it is rather difficult to make his view of Hermione change in one night, especially in a one-shot. Can't blame me for trying, right? Though you never know…he after all couldn't even find an insult to throw at her during the Yule Ball (winks)! Hope you enjoyed reading it and your comments would be most appreciated!**

**- Mjade**


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